Antigone

In Ancient Greek mythology, Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus in Sophocles’ trilogy. In the final of the three plays – which have been placed together due to modern conventional purposes – Antigone has a whole play to herself, also entitled Antigone. In this acclaimed and ever present play – in October 2021 alone three new productions of Antigone were produced – issues that were presented to an ancient audience remain popular in the present. Such issues, to name a few, include who is ‘right’ in the conflict between familial and state law, feminism, and how to mourn after a close member of the family dies.

However, it is necessary to rewind in order to understand the events of Antigone. The previous play had ended with the death of her two brothers, Eteocles and Polynices. Yet, the circumstances of the brothers’ deaths are anything but ordinary. Polynices has stabbed Eteocles to death. The new king Creon – who is uncle to Antigone, Polynices and Eteocles – allows the burial of Eteocles, but demands that Polynices, who is a traitor in Creon’s eyes, remains unburied. His corpse is left to be eaten by the birds.

Enter Antigone. In the opening scenes of the play, Antigone and Ismene – sister to the three siblings – debate whether they should, indeed, against Creon’s edict, bury their brother. Difficult questions now immediately emerge into the play. Is it right to disobey state law? Or should state law be disobeyed in favour of burying a family member – particularly when Creon’s edict goes against the religion of those family members involved? Ismene represents the side of the state law, whilst Antigone is on the side of the familial.

Antigone, of course, acts. She buries her brother and is caught. When questioned by her uncle Creon, Antigone refuses to apologise for the burial of Polynices. As punishment for the burial – which especially is seen as astonishing in Ancient Greek society because a woman has committed the act – Creon sentences Antigone to a living death. Antigone is sealed in a cave. Antigone then commits suicide, and the play ends in tragedy, with both Creon’s son Haemon, who is Antigone’s fiancée, and Creon’s wife, Eurydice, dying as a result of Creon’s actions.

In the next blog post, we will further explore some of the implications the play raises – and how Antigone has been adapted in the present day, especially in the form of the novel.